Newcastle’s main tourism website will be rebooted on Monday 12 September 2016 with a fresh new look and technical features to help visitors make the most of their time in the city.

With an interactive trip planner and destination map, plus social media streaming tools, www.visitnewcastle.com.au will become the region’s No.1 tourism marketing tool.

Users will be able to search for tourism operators, activities and accommodation by location and make online bookings, as well as, sort and search an in-depth calendar of events.

“Newcastle City Council has worked hard over the past six months to develop a more user-friendly and informative website for both visitors and the locals who are arguably Newcastle’s biggest advocates,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

“The new site contains more information and is easier to navigate, offers visitors a great interactive experience and simplifies the approach to planning visits to Newcastle.”

The refresh marks a new chapter for tourism in Newcastle and is the first part of a comprehensive digital strategy for destination marketing.

The website is available in multiple languages and will bear a new look and feel reflective of Newcastle’s ever-changing nature.

“For many years the Australian port city, a two-hour drive north of Sydney, has been on the brink of big things. Coal, steel and timber were once this city’s lifeblood but the cultural, the gastronomical and the creatively entrepreneurial have been on the rise for a long while.”

The creative flourish has coincided with an investment boom that has seen $3 billion in building approvals over the past five years and game-changing council projects to revitalise the coastline and inner city, none more successful than the Bathers Way pathway from Nobbys Beach to Merewether Beach.

Transformational projects such as the inner city light rail and increased confidence in the property development sector, especially in the city’s west end, will make Newcastle an even better place to visit.